by Mary P Ivy

Created on: March 08, 2010   Last Updated: April 08, 2010

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the movement known as Earth Day. So how did this celebration begin and how can you add some fun to this year's celebration?

The first official Earth Day was held April 22, 1970, but the idea for this celebration began almost a decade earlier when Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson became very concerned about the deteriorating condition of the environment. His concern led to the grassroots movement that took off in April 1970 when 20 million Americans from all walks of life exploded into public view seeking improvements in air and water quality. Four decades later the commitment and grassroots nature of the movement are still the hallmark of the celebration.

So, mark this special anniversary of Earth Day in a memorable way, generate some fun, and remind others of its importance. 

Be a “Stealth Gardener” in 2010

Be a stealth gardener. It's great fun for you and a nice surprise for others. Together with friends collect discarded plastic containers. Make a few small holes in the bottom for drainage, fill the container with soil and add a few bedding plants. Include a brief note explaining the benefit of reusing items and you’re ready to attack! Leave these on every doorstep in your block.

Even better, on the evening before Earth Day, launch an assault on a trash covered vacant lot, preferably one many people see each morning. Clean it thoroughly, haul off the trash and put out pots of flowers. Leave pots of flowers at the bus stop with a note attached announcing Earth Day.

Get Creative For Earth Day 201

Many homeowners in your neighborhood have random pieces of lumber left from projects. Collect and use these to make birdhouses and feeders. Set up a table in your yard, have all necessary material and tools available, and invite neighborhood kids to get involved. Give the birdhouses back to the neighbors.

Or use the wood scraps to also make free-form flower boxes. Then fill the boxes with soil, add some bedding plants and deliver to an area nursing home or community center to brighten public areas.

Collect old denim clothes along with Styrofoam packaging pellets and make a beanbag chair using recycled materials exclusively. Donate the finished product to a local grade school classroom or library!

Collect “green only” old clothes. Cut into pieces that you can use to make a small quilt. When it's finished, present your Earth Day quilt to a veteran’s hospital or children’s charity. It's three-fold: you've recycled, given a gift, and enjoyed the companionship of others.

Collect plastic water bottles for a week at an elementary school. Using these, let children create a sculpture and display it in the school commons for a month. Students will be amazed how many plastic bottles came from their school in only a few days and the sculpture reinforces the idea each time they pass by.

Making a serious point doesn't mean you have to give up having fun. Indeed, a lighthearted approach often fosters an optimistic attitude in others and creates a momentum people would like to join. The more fun and enthusiasm you can generate the better.

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